5-star CG Bronny James signs with USC Trojans

Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon five-star combo guard Bronny James committed to USC last week, and on Wednesday the Trojans announced that he had officially signed with the program as part of their 2023 recruiting class.

The son of NBA star LeBron James chose USC over interest from Oregon, Ohio State and other programs and will stay in Los Angeles for at least the next year after playing his high school career at nearby Sierra Canyon.

James is the No. 23 overall prospect and No. 3 combo guard in the 2023 On3 Industry Ranking. He is also the No. 5 player in California. 

OFFICIAL: Bronny is a Trojan! pic.twitter.com/kKSV11QBnv

— USC Men's Basketball (@USC_Hoops) May 10, 2023

On3 rates James higher than other recruiting services, according to the Industry Comparison. Per On3, James is ranked as a five-star recruit and the No. 11 overall prospect, No. 2 combo guard and No. 1 player in California. 

He was named a McDonalds All-American this winter and was the highest-ranked uncommitted player at the event. He finished the game 5-of-10 from the floor, including 5-of-8 from the 3-point line, with 15 points, four assists and a rebound. Feedback about how he projects at the next level has been mixed, with one scout believing he will be an NBA Draft pick.

“Bronny won’t get drafted because he’s LeBron’s kid,” the scout told On3’s Jamie Shaw. “He’ll get drafted because he’s an NBA player. He works hard, goes about his business, and is tough.”

James has an On3 NIL Valuation of $5.9M, ranking No. 1 in the On3 NIL 100. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.

Bronny James On3 Scouting Summary

“Bronny James is a sturdy guard, with a strong frame, long arms, and broad shoulders. The 6-2/6-3 guard is a noted defender at the point of attack. He moves his feet well laterally and plays with a chip on his shoulder. Offensively he does not really show blow-by burst in the half-court, but he attacks closeouts well, and he is strong in the paint. James is good in transition, has a little bit of wiggle there, and can get on the rim. He is explosive in straight lines. 

“James needs to tighten his handle in space. One of his biggest areas of improvement is from three, where he has cleaned up his mechanics – especially the release – and gathered his balance. James made 13 threes in six Peach Jam games at a 35 percent clip. He will need to finish better at the rim, especially in traffic. When playing as the primary initiator, he takes care of the ball with a better than 2.5:1 assists to turnover ratio at Peach Jam.” — Jamie Shaw, On3 national recruiting analyst